A WELL-KNOWN York man who defied all the odds on bomber missions during the war, and again when he was struck down by a stroke two years ago, has died at the age of 77.

The family of London-born Tom Smith, who made his home in Heworth and worked for 44 years at Glen Garage, in Layerthorpe, have paid tribute to the loving father and grandfather whose chance survival of the horrors of the Second World War left him asking: "Why me?"

Mr Smith, who was in his 54th year of marriage to wife Rene, died on Sunday - the day of his grandson Mark's 17th birthday - after suffering another stroke two weeks earlier and falling into a coma.

The couple adopted two children, Ann and Kenneth, who later gave them six grandchildren.

Ann said: "Dad had a stroke two years ago and was told he wouldn't survive, but he fought back against all the odds."

She also told how her father, who later became assistant warden at Holy Trinity Church in Heworth, cheated death while serving as a flight engineer with Royal Air Force Bomber Command during the Second World War.

He flew on several combat sorties in Stirling, Lancaster and Halifax aircraft and was decorated for his service. But at one point was grounded temporarily when he developed a boil on his face which meant his oxygen mask would not fit properly.

On the next mission all of the crew he regularly flew with were shot down and killed. He narrowly avoided death again when he was due to stand in for a crewman on another doomed mission, but was replaced at the last minute.

The story of his wartime service is recounted in a book entitled Why Me? which was compiled by Anthony Eaton.

Ann added: "He was very well known around the Heworth area. He was just an extremely kind, caring and loving man, who will be very sadly missed."

Updated: 10:19 Saturday, December 29, 2001